Best secondary schools in Portsmouth
10 of 10 secondary schools ranked by Progress 8 · all Portsmouth schools · primary schools
Ranked on Progress 8, 2023/24 — the most recent year each school has published. Official data, not our opinion — but the ranking is only as good as the measure, and a single number never describes a school.
- 7 of 10 rated Good or Outstanding
- 3 oversubscribed on first preference
- 3 Good or better and undersubscribed — the overlooked ones
- Median Progress 8: -0.41 (best 0.66)
| # | School | Progress 8 | Ofsted | Places | Catchment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Edmund's Catholic School Portsmouth | 0.66 | Outstanding improving | oversubscribed 1.75 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 2 | Springfield School Portsmouth | -0.05 | Not judged | about even 0.92 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 3 | Trafalgar School Portsmouth hidden gem | -0.19 | Good | about even 0.86 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 4 | Ark Charter Academy Southsea | -0.32 | Not judged declining | undersubscribed 0.74 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 5 | Admiral Lord Nelson School Portsmouth | -0.35 | Good | oversubscribed 1.16 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 6 | UTC Portsmouth Portsmouth | -0.47 | Outstanding | — | approximate |
| 7 | Priory School Southsea | -0.55 | Good | oversubscribed 1.21 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 8 | Castle View Academy Portsmouth hidden gem | -0.56 | Good | about even 0.92 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 9 | Miltoncross Academy Portsmouth | -0.6 | Not judged declining | undersubscribed 0.62 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
| 10 | The Portsmouth Academy Portsmouth hidden gem | -1.1 | Good improving | undersubscribed 0.55 first prefs per place, 2026/27 | approximate |
Applying in Portsmouth
Knowing which school is best is only half of it — these are the deadlines that decide whether you can apply at all.
- Secondary application deadline 2026-10-31 · 2027 entry Secondary Common Application Form (CAF) deadline for September 2027 entry (Year 7). National statutory deadline 31 October 2026; apply via your home local authority. Selective/grammar registration, if any, is a separate earlier deadline.
- Primary (Reception) application deadline 2027-01-15 · 2027 entry Primary (Reception) application deadline for September 2027 entry. National statutory deadline 15 January 2027; apply via your home local authority.
- Secondary National Offer Day 2027-03-01 · 2027 entry Secondary National Offer Day for September 2027 entry — state school Year 7 place offers (1 March).
- Primary National Offer Day 2027-04-16 · 2027 entry Primary National Offer Day for September 2027 entry — Reception place offers (16 April).
- Secondary application deadline 2027-10-31 · 2028 entry Secondary Common Application Form (CAF) deadline for September 2028 entry (Year 7). National statutory deadline 31 October 2027; apply via your home local authority. Selective/grammar registration, if any, is a separate earlier deadline.
- Primary (Reception) application deadline 2028-01-15 · 2028 entry Primary (Reception) application deadline for September 2028 entry. National statutory deadline 15 January 2028; apply via your home local authority.
Rankings compare published results. They do not tell you which school your child will get into — that depends on where you live, sibling and faith priority, and how many people apply this year. Ask below, or check the Portsmouth admission criteria.
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